Maryland’s offense is too much for Syracuse in 63-20 win

Maryland junior running back Javon Leake rushed for 107 yards and two touchdowns against Syracuse on Saturday. (Photo from Maryland Athletics)

Maryland’s offense didn’t lose a beat from its 79-point season opening win over Howard, as the Terps ran up the scoreboard and set multiple school records against No. 21 Syracuse on Saturday afternoon.

The Terps displayed a balance attack on offense, which kept the Orange off guard in their 63-20 victory. It’s the most points Maryland scored against a ranked opponent in school history.

“We were, fortunately, able to start quickly,” Maryland Head Coach Mike Locksley said. “We got a good three and out on defense and then offensively, we were able to go out and score down quick. We keep stressing that starting fast is really important for us in all three phases for us to get a good start and then finish faster and we did that.”

Maryland quarterback Josh Jackson had another solid outing, throwing for 296 yards, three touchdowns and a interception. The graduate transfer spread the ball around the field, throwing to eight different players more than once.

“We talked about for the first game and the first impression and now you just build your reputation,” Jackson said. “Being able to put up 60 points on an ACC top 25 team is very awesome and very good for our offense.”

Maryland’s running back group continued to show why they are vital to the team’s success on offense, as they recorded 354 yards on the ground. Junior Javon Leake rushed for 107 yards and a pair of touchdowns on seven carries.

Sophomore Anthony McFarland rushed for 75 yards and two touchdowns, while recording 45 receiving yards and catching a six-yard touchdown pass from Jackson to close out a 42-point first half. Junior Jake Funk broke loose in the fourth quarter, rushing for 94 yards and a touchdown.

“Just dominating the line of scrimmage,” McFarland said. “We wanted to do that all week. Coach [Locksley] has been hopping on us all week about how we need to dominate the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.”

Maryland’s defense was solid, recording four sacks and forcing a pair of turnovers. Senior linebacker Keandre Jones was dominated, registering seven tackles, two sacks and a force fumble.

“Our defense gave us two early stops and then a turnover, which allowed us to put points on the board and we’re a team that feeds off that energy,” Locksley said. “To finish the game the way our defense finished it in the fourth quarter was good to see.”

Maryland’s win over Syracuse marked the first time the Terps scored 56 or more points in back-to-back games.

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Ryan is the founder/editor-in-chief of Inside The Locker Room. He graduated from Iona College in 2019 with a bachelor's degree in Journalism, and he is currently pursuing a Master's degree at the University of Maryland in College Park.